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Until 200 years ago what is now labeled ‘alternative treatment’ was based on the words of Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine”. Hippocrates is famously quoted as saying “Let food be your medicine.” It is a compelling quote which encapsulates the very simple, very common sense idea that the most efficient healer we know, or will ever know, is a correctly functioning natural immune system. In modern cancer research this common sense approach is not only ignored it is actively forbidden by the AMA for doctors to prescribe alternative medications to fight cancer. Doctors are allowed to prescribe natural remedies to treat the side-effects of the drugs which are used to fight cancer, but not allowed to treat cancer itself with anything other than the prescribed, orthodox treatment.

The purpose of this article is not to examine the state of affairs which sees natural substances shunned in favor of expensive, and often harmful medications, but to examine what you can expect to happen and receive should you elect an alternative treatment course to deal with cancer.

One of the biggest problems with discussing alternative cancer treatments is that it covers a huge amount of ground. Anything which is outside the mainstream practice(which will usually include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment) is, by definition, ‘alternative’. As such the ‘alternative’ label is often attacked broadly based on the ineffectuality or indeed harmfulness of specific treatments. For instance treating cancer by putting leeches on the skin to draw blood is not a mainstream medical response to cancer so it would be labeled as ‘alternative’ even though most alternative treatment providers would be horrified with the concept. Attacking unorthodox treatments broadly for the practices of a few extreme treatment providers is clearly not a rational response, yet it is exactly the line which has successfully kept alternative cancer treatment on the sideline for so long.

For the purpose of this article we will discuss the type of healthcare that Hippocrates was a strong supporter of and apply to it the broad label ‘alternative’. This form of alternative treatment works on a few basic fundamental ideas.

The first is the concept that the most efficient entity at healing a body is itself. The human body is a miraculous thing and even as we learn more and more about what the body does to treat disease we are still often left mystified by the how. The body will respond to a foreign organism long before medical tests discover it, and in fact this is usually how the problem is first bought to the attention of doctors. Diseases do not have ‘tiredness’ causing properties, this is the bodies natural response to an invasion – it attempts to enter a restive state where it can more effectively fight the invader.

A primary focus of alternative cancer treatment then is not the direct battle against the cancer and the tumor itself, but a strengthening of the bodies defenses and natural ability to fight disease. This is done via strengthening the immune system. Vitamin C is known to have strong immunity building properties and was shown by Linus Pauling (Two time Nobel prize winner) to be an effective cancer treatment by itself. In fact it was over thirty years ago that Pauling and his research partner Ewan Cameron MD showed that just 10 grams of Vitamin C taken intravenously each day would extend a cancer patient’s life 6 times longer than chemotherapy treatment. It is also worth noting that while Vitamin C builds up the immune system, chemotherapy breaks it down, which means that where chemotherapy is used it becomes the only defense the body has against cancer – the only way of continuing to fight the cancer is to continue chemotherapy. The clear conclusion is that Vitamin C is a more efficient treatment than Chemotherapy and has none of the debilitating side effects.

Alternative treatment providers have been able to use this type of research as a base for formulating a case by case plan to restore the bodies balance and fight cancer. The fact that it is ‘case by case’ is also another important component of alternative treatments. It has to be recognized that no two cases of cancer are going to be identical because there are two many different varying factors. The type of cancer it self is considered, the location of the cancer and the size of the tumor will all effect how the treatment is administered. The patients only physical state must be considered two and this will usually involve a detailed look at their body, diet and lifestyle. Everybodies DNA is different and some people are more likely to respond positively to some treatments.

This critical fact is often what is left out of a full assessment of alternative cancer treatments. Just because one person responds to a specific course of treatment does not mean another will get the same result. Imagine an auto repair shop. If you said to your mechanic that your car isn’t working he will not simply change the oil and give you your keys back. That may well work for some cars, but it will most definitely not work for them all. Your mechanic will ask you questions about what is wrong with the car. He will ask for the symptoms and from these discern the cause. Only then is any attempt made to ‘cure’ the car. Now compare that approach to the approach of orthodox medicine that will change the oil and water, give you a new set of tires and tune the engine. Too bad if you went in because your brakes didn’t work.

In most cases an alternative treatment is going to require some type of detoxification process. In modern society we are exposed to more harmful substances and processed foods that at any previous point in history. These toxins can dwell in our system for a long time and are often part of the cause of a disease. At the very least the body is wasting resources fighting them that could be assisting in it’s fight against cancer. The detoxification is an ongoing process, particularly if the other treatments are effectively killing cancer cells. The death of a cancer cell actually introduces more toxins to the system and in large doses these can be extremely harmful and even fatal. This is why all cancer treatments are undertaken gradually – because a treatment that killed all cancer cells immediately would release a massive toxic load into the system and put it in even more danger.

Alternative Cancer Treatment also puts a huge amount of emphasis on a patients diet. Conventional medicine ignores this and most orthodox cancer treatment will result in a serious loss of weight. Forty Percent of cancer patients die not from cancer but from malnutrition so it is vital to ensure that a healthy and regular diet is followed. The correct balance in the body is also going to mean less nausea and other symptoms associated with cancer treatments.

This article has touched on what you can expect in an alternative health treatment for cancer, but it must be stressed that it only touches the surface of the options available. There are over 300 treatments that have been shown to be effective in the treatment of cancer but are not part of mainstream medicines response. The important thing is not knowing how many options there are out there but knowing which options, and combinations of options are going to work in any individual case. Alternative Cancer Treatment takes a holistic approach to the treatment of cancer and seeks to assist the sufferer not just in overcoming their cancer but also in enjoying their life and living well while they do. A cancer survivor who beats cancer using alternative medicine will not just be alive, but they will be alive and healthy. This increased quality of life, both throughout the treatment and after it, is an essential element in what makes alternative cancer therapy such an attractive option to those with the good fortune to explore it.

Out of the various programs for addiction treatment in Massachusetts, the residential treatment program is indubitably the most elaborate treatment program. This program is mainly targeted at people who are in severe conditions of addiction; those that are not expected to ever be treated from their condition. But the program tries its sincere best to make these people come out of the addiction in the most effective way possible. Here we see some points that indicate why the residential treatment program in Massachusetts is called as one of the most comprehensive forms of treatment in the state.

Who does Residential Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts target?

As already mentioned, residential treatment is for people who are in seemingly irretrievable conditions of substance abuse and addiction. The following is a list of the people whom this form of treatment helps:-

1. People who have used the substance for several years will find this program very effective because the rigid methods used here will help them overcome what seems to be a point of no return in their addiction.

2. People who have some health complication or a psychiatric condition that is making their addiction treatment difficult will also find the benefits of such a program. Residential addiction treatment in Massachusetts also incorporates a detox program and a dual diagnosis treatment program, both of which can help these people to come out of their addiction quite effectively and also find a solution to their coexisting ailments.

3. People who have been apprehended of some drug or alcohol related offense will be ordered by drug courts in Massachusetts to complete an addiction treatment program, which will mostly be required to be completed in a residential treatment center. This is where they will be trained in giving up the addiction for their own good and for the good of the society they live in. It must be noted that these people would not have accepted any treatment if they were not forced by the drug court. In this manner, the drug courts are collaborating with the residential treatment centers to fight the addiction problem.

4. People who have tried other methods of addiction treatment and failed can try residential addiction treatment in Massachusetts as the last option. It is also the treatment option that will really work for their condition.

What does Residential Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts entail?

It is necessary to know now how the residential treatment program works. Basically, there are three main phases of the program.

1. Intervention – This is the part of the program where the patient is helped to understand the extent of the problem they are facing and that they require treatment. Most people who are into an addiction will not want to accept any method of treatment. But a suitable intervention program helps them to understand what the situation is really like. The first part of the residential addiction treatment program in Massachusetts is about this. During this phase, the treatment center might take the help of the family and friends of the patient in order to better convince them to get into the treatment.

2. Detoxification – Detoxification becomes necessary since the patients coming into these programs are into the addiction since a long period of time. Detox treatment in a residential treatment center in Massachusetts will also go longer than the normal detox treatment for this reason. It will require special care and counseling even as it is going on because people who are into severe forms of addictions need more support during the difficult detox period. There can be no residential addiction treatment in Massachusetts that does not include the detox program because without removing the addictive substance from the body of the person, it is impossible to remove the cravings of the substance that the person has. In other words, the treatment of the addiction becomes impossible.

3. Aftercare – The aftercare treatment is the most prolonged phase of addiction treatment in a residential center. The basic purpose of the aftercare is to counsel and educate the patient on the addiction and to make them know methods in which they can stay away from the cravings. This can take a long time because patients won’t be spontaneously ready to give up their dependencies. During this part of the treatment, patients are taught methods such as Yoga, breathing exercises, relaxation methods and various other therapies that can help them curb the temptation for the substance whenever it occurs. In some treatment centers, families are also counseled on how they can cope with the condition.

This program is mainly targeted at people who are in severe conditions of addiction; those that are not expected to ever be treated from their condition. But the program tries its sincere best to make these people come out of the addiction in the most effective way possible. Here we see some points that indicate why the residential treatment program in Massachusetts is called as one of the most comprehensive forms of treatment in the state.

Who does Residential Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts target?

As already mentioned, residential treatment is for people who are in seemingly irretrievable conditions of substance abuse and addiction. The following is a list of the people whom this form of treatment helps:-

1. People who have used the substance for several years will find this program very effective because the rigid methods used here will help them overcome what seems to be a point of no return in their addiction.

2. People who have some health complication or a psychiatric condition that is making their addiction treatment difficult will also find the benefits of such a program. Residential addiction treatment in Massachusetts also incorporates a detox program and a dual diagnosis treatment program, both of which can help these people to come out of their addiction quite effectively and also find a solution to their coexisting ailments.

3. People who have been apprehended of some drug or alcohol related offense will be ordered by drug courts in Massachusetts to complete an addiction treatment program, which will mostly be required to be completed in a residential treatment center. This is where they will be trained in giving up the addiction for their own good and for the good of the society they live in. It must be noted that these people would not have accepted any treatment if they were not forced by the drug court. In this manner, the drug courts are collaborating with the residential treatment centers to fight the addiction problem.

4. People who have tried other methods of addiction treatment and failed can try residential addiction treatment in Massachusetts as the last option. It is also the treatment option that will really work for their condition.

What does Residential Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts entail?

It is necessary to know now how the residential treatment program works. Basically, there are three main phases of the program.

1. Intervention – This is the part of the program where the patient is helped to understand the extent of the problem they are facing and that they require treatment. Most people who are into an addiction will not want to accept any method of treatment. But a suitable intervention program helps them to understand what the situation is really like. The first part of the residential addiction treatment program in Massachusetts is about this. During this phase, the treatment center might take the help of the family and friends of the patient in order to better convince them to get into the treatment.

2. Detoxification – Detoxification becomes necessary since the patients coming into these programs are into the addiction since a long period of time. Detox treatment in a residential treatment center in Massachusetts will also go longer than the normal detox treatment for this reason. It will require special care and counseling even as it is going on because people who are into severe forms of addictions need more support during the difficult detox period. There can be no residential addiction treatment in Massachusetts that does not include the detox program because without removing the addictive substance from the body of the person, it is impossible to remove the cravings of the substance that the person has. In other words, the treatment of the addiction becomes impossible.

3. Aftercare – The aftercare treatment is the most prolonged phase of addiction treatment in a residential center. The basic purpose of the aftercare is to counsel and educate the patient on the addiction and to make them know methods in which they can stay away from the cravings. This can take a long time because patients won’t be spontaneously ready to give up their dependencies. During this part of the treatment, patients are taught methods such as Yoga, breathing exercises, relaxation methods and various other therapies that can help them curb the temptation for the substance whenever it occurs. In some treatment centers, families are also counseled on how they can cope with the condition.